Striping attachment eos knitting machines



July 17,1928. y 1,677,477.

f I L. S. HERBERT STRIIING ATTACHMENTFOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Maron 2,1925 l 5 sheets-sneer 1 Me l INVENT'OR- July-17,1928. f 1,617,417

L; S. HERBERT STRIPING A'J:TACHMENT FOR KNITTI'NG MACHINES Filed March 2, 1923 w 5 sheets-sheet 2 5 sheets-sheet s mvanroR l 1 '.A s. HERBERT `4SlRsnmef ATTACHMENT Fon KNITTING MACHINES July 77,1928. l

Fild- March 2, 1925 July 17, 1928.

' L. s. HERBERT STRIPING ATTACHMENT FOR KNITTING MACHIrms Filed March 2, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 l NVE NTOR om Mw 'n nauw Hs al1-torna Patented July 17, 1928.

UNITED STTES ATENT -FFCE LEON S. HERBERT, F C'YNW-YD, PENNSYLVANIA.

Application iiled March 2, 1923. Serial No. 622,33.

I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to figures of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

A Like figures of reference refer to like parts.

My invention relates to striping attachments for circular knitting machines, particularly to that kind known as circular-rib-v knitting machines, the purpose of theattachment being to feed, singly, a number of different yarns to the needles of the knitting machine to produce a striped effect in the article knit.

The embodiment -of my invention herein shown, described and claimed is adapted as an attachment to a circular-rib-knitting machine, having a pattern chain'or like device for positioning a tripping member in and out of actuating engagement with the striping attachment, as has been done with other known striping attachments. But the attachment which is the subject of the present invention, is adapted to control the feeding of more than two kinds of yarn to the knitting machine, so as to produce more than two kinds of stripes in the knitted article.

In addition to the object of providing a multi-yarn feeding attachment for knitting machines, to be fed one at a time thereto,

,5 a further object is to provide a binder in connection with the yarn shearing device, which will hold on to each yarn near its severed end, in a binding action, ,only suiiiciently strongly to retain the saidend, while L0 the yarn is held out of action and until the yarn is again positioned across the pathof the needle heads and drawn into action, when the yarn end is pulled free from the binder, while the latter continues to grip ,5 theremaining idle yarns.

A further object is to provide a multiple cam for positioning the various fingers to guide the yarn passing 'through them into and out of feeding position. This cam is n designed tol produce the sequence of the stripe desiredfor each of the colored, or otherwise differing yarns.

With these and other objects, my invention is illustrated in the drawings, is here-- 5 inafter described, its operation is explained and what I claim is set forth.

In the drawings Figure lis a front elevation of the striping attachment embodying my invention, il-

lustrating the manner in which the various yarns are held in and out of the action of the'knitting needles.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the device shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is'a plan of the same.

Figure 4 is a .side elevation of the same.

Figure 5 is a plan of the said attachment, shown in connection with ting machine.

vFigure 6 is an elevation of the attachment and parts shownlin Figure 5..

Figure 7 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 7l-7 of Figure 3, and particularly shows gearing connections :on the striper.

Figure 8 is a vertical section taken longitudinally of the striper cam shaft.

Figure 9 is a side elevation of one of the fingers, which carries a thread of yarn, the finger here being shown in spring pressed contact with the striping cam, which controls it.

'Figures 10, l1 and 12, illustrate the yarn shearing and binding devices of the striping attachment, in open position, in the respective views of top plan, elevation and bottom plan.

Figures 13, 14 and 15, illustrate the shearing and binding devices, respectively, in top plan, elevation and bottom plan, but in closed position, subsequent to the shearing of the yarn. v

Figure 16 is a fragmentary sectional eleparts of a knit' vation of the binder parts, at the termination of the closed position, as shown in Figures 13, 14.- and 15, having the yarn shown engaged therewith.;

Figure 17 illustrates the parts of the binder in section, showing the same securing the yarn therein. v

Figures 18,19, 2O and 21 are respectively,

detached plans of the bottom shearing blade,

the upper shearing which is'also the lower binding blade, the upper binding blade, and

the tucking blade with its notched auxiliary blade. i

In the figures, 1 is part of the frame.- work ofthe knitting machine, in which vertically reciprocates the rod 2, which is actuated in the usual way, byY a pattern chain or similar device 'of the knitting machine. To the upper end of the rod 2, is fixed the gagement therewith. Concentric with the head 3, above which Vproject the tripping pins 4 and 5, which trip the striping attachment into action, when raised into envertical stationary needle cylinder 6, is the rotating collar 7, of the knitting machine, to which are secured, by means of the set screws 10, the pins 8 and 9, of the striping attachment. The ins 8 and 9 are fixed in the frame 11, whic is thereby held radially to the collar 7.v Journaled in the frame 11,v is the upright shaft 12, having fixed at its lower end, the star wheel 13, and to its upper end a mitre gear 14, which is in mesh with the mitre gear 15, fixed upon the horizontal shaft 16. The shaft 16 terminates at its opposite end in a head 17, and is journaled in the vertical wall 18, of the frame 11. The shaft 16 is also journaled within the sleeve 19, which sleeve, in turn,- is journaled in the wall 20, and has integral therewith, the gear 21.

The sleeve 19, to which is keyed the multiple cam 22, revolves at one-fourth the speed and in the op osite direction to the shaft 16, through t e following gearing connections; a pmion 23 is fixed upon the shaft 16 and meshes with a gear 24, of twice its size, which gear 24 is fixedv upon a shaft 25, 'ournaled in the block 26, of the frame 11. ixed at the opposite end-of the shaft 25, is the pinion 27, 1n mesh with the idler gear 28, journaled on the pin 29. The

gear 28 meshes with the sleeve-gear 21,'

which is twice the diameter of the pinion 27, so that the shaft-16 turns four times, to

vone turn of the sleeve'19, but in the opposite direction.

The multiple .cam 22, hasy three annular grooves 30, in which fit various sizes of .segments 31, held therein by screws 32,

threaded with the series of holes 33, in the body of the cam 22. The segments 31 engage the lugs 34, of the fingers 35, 36 and 37, which are 'journaled u on the long pin 38,"fixed in the wall 20. ncircling the pin 39, are springsv 39, which bear against the fingers 35, 36 and 37 to keep the lugs 34 thereof in operative contact with the segments 31 of the cam 22. The fingers 35, 36 and 37 each have a straight portion 4U, through which pass the yarn holes 41 and 42, having yarn 43 threaded therewith, as it comesl from the spools on the knitting machine. The ends of the fingers 35, 36 and 37 when in o erative position', rest upon the portion 44 o vthe guard 45. The guard 45 serves to hold the finger, resting upon it, in a position for the o erative engagement of the yarn or yarns, w ich are engaged by the hook needles, as the striper rotates. 46 marks the path of the hook of the needles, as l,the guard asses the same. 47 is one of the hook need es, shown in position about to engage the yarn 43, coming from the 'which registers with the edge finger 35. The guard 45 has an extension 48, adjustably clamped upon the part 49, of the frame 11.

The shearing and binding device 50 is adjustably mounted upon the part 49,-of the frame 11, by "means of the screw 51, which clamps the plate 52, of the device 50, against the plate 53, engaging the head of the screw 54. The vertical and horizontal tongues and grooves at and at 56, fix the angular position of the device 50. The plate 52, of the device 50, isintegral with a base 57, in which is fixed the upstanding rod 58. Journaled upon the rod 58, is the lower shear blade 59, having depending therefrom, the lug 60, which engages the reciprocating in 61, slidingly mounted in the side of the graine 11. 0n top of the blade 59, rests the blade 61, which engages both the rod 58 andthe plate 52, but is free to be pressed downward into Contact with theblade 59. The blade 61 is formed into a finger 62 having a lower cutting edge at 63 and an upper binding edge at 64. Above the blade 61, is the blade 65, having a finger 66, with its beveled portion terminating in an edge 67, l 64, of the blade 61. The blade 65 engages both the rod 58 and the plate 52, but is free to be pressed downward against the blade 61. Between the blades 61 and 65, which are angularly fixed upon the rod 58, is the blade 68, journaled upon the rod 58. vThe blade 68 is thin and has integrally fixed to its edge 69, a guard blade 70, which is inclined upward at its; end 71, 1n a manner to permit it to swing over the blade 65, while the blade 68 is adapted to force its waybetween the fingers 62 and 66, so that its blunt edge 72 passes beyond the fingers 62 and 66, as shown in Fi ures 13 and 15. A pin 73, fixed in the sear blade 59, looselyengages the blade 68, to cause it to rotate wit the shear blade 59. In rthe guard blade 70, is shown a notched lbend 74, in line of the blunt edge 75, which comes in contact with the yarn 43, as will be hereinafter explained. For elastically ressing the blades 61, 65 and 68 together, and at the same time, normally hold the blades 61 and 68 open from the fingers 62 and 66, a coiled spring 76 is provided, 'having its upper end fixed in the ring 77, on the rod 58 and its lower end 78, engaging the lug 79, of the shear blade 59. The ring 77 has notches 80 in itsupper surface, for engagement with a pin 81, fixed in the rod 58. The spring 76 is turned until the desired pressure is brought to bear upon the lug 79, to normally open the blades, after shearing and binding.

los

12orv The reciprocating rod 61* is actuated by 4 the lever 82,.the hook end 83 of which enbe caughtb needles and a stripe will con-l it until the finger is raised the end 84, of the lever 85 being spring pressed down against the rod 61a, when neither of the pins 87 is enga -ng the head 88, the end 84 comes in presse contact'with the rod 61 and frictionally holds the rod A61`to dwell during the operation of the binding and shearing device 50. v The lever 85 is ivoted at 86 to the wall 18,'.and is normally held in position -to press against the rod 61, until one of the pins 87, forces the head 8,8 of the lever 85, outward, releasing the frictional pressure upon the rod 61, permitting the spring 76 to normally open the blades of the device 50.

For any desired combination of stripes 1n the knitted article, the arrangement of thepattern chain parts and the segments 31, of the cam 22, are provided in their proper relation as to size and position on the cam 22; the lingers 35, .36 and 37 are threaded with the colored or kind of yarn. which is to be synchronized in the striping in connection with the prearranged parts of the striping device and pattern chain.' Two'yarns are fixed, caught in the binder between the lingers 62 and 66, and the third yarn is left in connection with a knit iece within the machine cylinder 6. As t e knitting machine starts up, suppose that the finger 35 is down against the guard.45, the yarn 43 will then tinue to be by one of the se ents 31, coming in against the lug 34, of the finger 35. The yarn from' finger 35 1s then drawn upward, out of the pla of the needles andl into en a ement wit the bindin and shearing evice 50. The yarn from t e finger 35`is drawn back lof the fingers 62 and 66, when the blades close. The "ed e 72 of'th'e blade 68 comes into contact wit thevyarn. first and forces it between the closed sprin pressed fingers 62 and 66, as the .shear bla e'59 follows 1n cutting the yarn, below the linger 62. As'the blades open, and the blade 68 withdraws from between the fingers 62 and 66, the edges 64 and 67 enga-uthe yarn and hold it until ulled away in 'tting another of the same 'ndofstri l l In changlng from one yarn to another, two yarns, for a short time, are feeding for a number of needles, while one is being held in the binder then one of the two feeding yarns is lifte sheared and caught, leaving two yarns caught in the binderwhile a solid stripe isbeingknit. e f

As the finger 35 is raised, the one of the lingers 36 or 37, which is up is lowered into act1on, bringingits yarn across the ath o f the needles, t' o be subsequently raise when the desired width of stripe, for that particular yarn, has been run- 4 'Although only three yarn lingers 35, 36 and 37 are shown in-connection with this embodiment of my invention, without departingl from the spirit and scope thereof, a greater number of yarn fingers can be provided and the cam 22, modified, for operation therewith, so that more than three kinds ofstripes can be knit automatically Ias the knitting machine knits the article.

`While I have shown only one striping attachment fixed to the rin 7 other such attachments can be arrang thereon for more com licated stri ing of the knit article.

T e width of t e stripe knit de ends upon thedwell of the individual yarn gers upon the guard 45.

Inasmuch'as changes can be made in the one. embodiment of my invention herein shown and described without departing from the spirit and sco e thereof, I do not wish to be confined to t is one embodiment.

Having described my invention, I claim.

1. In a striping attachment for circular rib knitting machines having a circular seof needles, a pattern member and an actuating device between said member and lsaid attachment, a frame, a yarn binder ixed to said frame, saidy binder consisting of a bracket fined to said frame, a rod in said bracket,A a pair of finger blades engaging said rod and said racket, means for elastically holding said blades normall together, a'tucking bladev adapted to tuc arn between said linger b ades, there eing registering edges on said finger blades adapted to grip lsaid yarn after the same has been tucked by said tuckin blade between said `edges and, a guar blade having a notched bend in its yarn contacting edge.

' 2. In a striping attachment for circular rib knitting machines having a circular series of needles, a pattern member and an actuatingdevice bet`ween said member' and said attachment, a combined shearing and blndlng device comprising a bracket, a base on said bracket, a rod fixed in said base, a'

shearing blade journaled `on said rod next to said base',a second shearin blade in Contact with said first mentione shearing blade adapted Atobe pressedagainst it and heldagalnst turning) onv said rod, said second shearin bladel ein also a bindin blade, a second inding bla e held elastic yin registration with said first vmentioned bindingv blade, a tucking blade adapted to tuck Iyarn betweensaidlinger blades, there bein registering edges on said finger'blades a a ted to p said yarn after the samehas een tuc ed by said tucking blade between said edges. y

'LEON S. HERBERT.

,ino

los

lao 

